On the first Saturday of Spring Break the gang hung out for the entire day in the DiNozzo living room. No one was going anywhere and they all wanted to get 'away' from home. With both Tony and Ziva working that weekend the gang was free to be alone and keep themselves busy in ways only teenagers can find amusing. During a particularly rousing game of euchre Atti suggested that they needed to go on a trip as a group. Maybe head north and go skiing for a couple of days.

Everyone thought the idea was magnificent, the problem was no one knew if any of them would be allowed. Regardless of the permission hurdle that would need to be surmounted before they could go adventuring the gang spent a few hours on line looking up availability at resorts and small motels in the area of a few ski hills. By the end of the afternoon they had run into more than just a few problems. None of them had a credit card to reserve a room, regulations stipulated that there needed to be a responsible party over 18 in each room, and there were very few rooms available within a good driving distance.

CJ having fallen in love with the idea suggested an alternative. Why don't we leave relatively early one morning, drive up there, ski for the day and evening and then drive only part way back. We can find a small motel on the way home. "If Owen is standing at the front counter with cash I highly doubt that they won't let him have a room." CJ explained as she thought Owen was the largest and looked the oldest.

"How do you suggest we explain that one to our parents? And whose car do we all fit in?" Ashley asked. She was always the one who took more convincing than the others. With a deep breath and a moment to think CJ began to organize.

"Anyone who thinks they will be allowed on the trip raise their hand" finding out who was likely to be able to go would help in the deciding on other details. Owen and Avery were the only two who thought they would be permitted to go on such a excursion. Figures thought CJ, the two oldest guys who were the youngest members of their own families. But it did solve the vehicle problem if Avery could get his parents to let him borrow the van, it sat eight. By the time pizza arrived CJ had developed a convoluted plan of sleepover cover stories and an itinerary that would have them all leaving at 0700 Wednesday morning.

That night lying in bed CJ couldn't sleep, she was trying to decide what the best course of action would be. There was a tiny chance that if she explained things correctly she would be allowed on the trip. She would have to lie about the driver and the lack of chaperone but at least that would be a smaller deception to simply telling her parents she was at Ainsley's place for a couple of days which was the alternative. In the end she decided that going with Gibbs' rule 18. By simply saying she was going to Ainsley's place for a couple of days she didn't need to broach the subject of driving and sleeping arrangements. Should anyone find out about the trip it could be explained that the plan was a last minute decision.

With that choice she needed to get her heavy winter clothing over to Ainsley's without drawing attention to it. They would rarely do anything outside in DC other than cycling in the summer so it would definitely throw up red flags if on Tuesday she was haul ski wear with her when she left. By Monday at dinner time the gang had the plan in place and equipment where it needed to be. All was set: Wednesday couldn't come fast enough.


Avery drove around from house to house collecting each member of 'the gang' on Wednesday morning and by 0800 they were on the road heading north out of town to the closest ski resort. The van was loud with all of them talking and singing. The radio blasting added to the commotion in the vehicle as they drove through the winding back roads. 'The gang' arrived at the hill just before lunch, those with equipment headed to the hill and those who needed rentals made their way to the pro shop. As a group they were able to get a few runs in before grabbing a bite to eat in the chalet at the bottom of the hill.

CJ had an amazing day. She had only been skiing a couple of times as a really young child and so it took a few trips down the mountain to get her legs straight under herself. But in true DiNozzo fashion she was athletic and able to pick it up again quickly. Skiing she decided was a great way to feel the rush she craved so much. With each trip down the slopes she went faster and more confidently. By supper she was on the most complicated and steep hills the resort offered. Only Steven and Atti would join her as they were avid skiers.

The teens skied until the lights went off and the slopes were closed for the evening. Packing the van with all of their wet and snow covered attire the group laughed and joked. It was dark and quite late but they knew that they needed to drive a short distance away to find lodging. Cramming them all in the vehicle once again they headed for the highway towards home. Their first stop was a small motel at the side of the road. Owen entered the office and asked for a room, the clerk looking him up and down asked for identification, which Owen produced. Just shy of 18 he was not allowed to rent a room for the night.

Only slightly deterred he returned to the vehicle to explain to the rest of them the problem. While on route to the next choice the discussion turned to fake id's and how to get them. CJ was enlisted to figure it out as she would have the most knowledge and access to equipment having family working in a federal building. A brainwave hit Avery before they made it to the next available motel. His older brother often kept his driver's license in the glove box and if that was the case he could use that id at the next stop. Atti sitting in the front seat searched through and found it. Although Avery looked younger than Owen the id would put him at 21 years old, well above the needed 18 years.

Pulling off at the next exit 'the gang' held their collective breath as Avery entered the office and requested a room. The only glitch was he had to "fix" his signature on the sign in card as he almost signed his own name rather than his brothers. They parked around back and quietly entered the room so as not to draw attention to the fact that 8 teens were all piling into one room.

They visited for a short time, discussing the day's events and the need to do 'this' again sometime before finally turning in well after midnight. The teens were strewn over the room, some slept on the couches, some on the beds and a couple of the guys were laid out on the floor. Steven and CJ were curled up together on one of the queen beds. One might think that with such an opportunity things might get out of hand, but they were exhausted from the day and so fell asleep rather quickly with no more than a good night kiss.


Morning seemed to arrive all too early. Many sore bodies were wrenched from sleep when CJ's cell phone rang loudly at 0800. She was unable to answer the first time it rang as it took everyone a minute to rouse enough to figure out what the noise was, whose cell was ringing and where it was actually located in the room. Check out time was 1100 so they had set an alarm for 1000 thinking an hour was enough time to pull themselves together and get on the road. No one was coherent at 0800 when the cell rang a second time and CJ fumbled to answer it. She snapped awake pretty damn quickly when the angry voice on the other end of the line barked "Where are you?"

She hesitated long enough to remember what lie she had told so as to make sure she continued to tell the same story. "I'm at Ainsley's place, I told you that" she sounded indignant, which can happen when you've only had a few hours of sleep and you are ripped from your slumber by an angry bear.

"No you're NOT, I'm in Ainsley's living room right now and her mother seems to think her daughter should be at our place."

CJ's heart jumped into her throat constricting her ability to reply. Now what? She thought to herself, she didn't even know where to go from here. She'd be caught out but the extent of their story telling was not yet fully understood and CJ desperately needed to keep as much information as possible to herself.

Waiting for his daughter's reply Tony stood ramrod straight in the middle of the Morris' living room trying to remain calm enough that he might get an answer sometime today. This morning had been hell already, now his daughter wasn't where she was supposed to be and that really made a mess of the plans they had already arranged.

Earlier that morning Director Vance had called both he and his wife into the office for a private meeting. Tony had assumed it was to get a sit rep on the cold case they had found a possible lead on the day before. But instead he asked them to sit down at his long boardroom table and poured them a coffee. Ziva and Tony alike had furrowed brows as they studied the director's face. He was generally rather cold towards them and would normally demand information gruffly.

"I just got a phone call…. " he began quietly. "From Israel…" again he hesitated.

"What does my father want now?" Ziva asked impatiently and with little feeling.

"It wasn't your father on the line it was Officer Hadar… he called to inform me of the passing of the Director of the Mossad…" not using the man's name made it easier to relay the information.

It took several moments for the realization of what he had just said to be processed by Ziva and Tony.

"Passing? You mean Eli died?" Tony was the first to get words formed and out.

"Yes" was all Vance offered in reply.

Ziva sat quiet and motionless. Tony reached out and took her hand that had been resting on the table top. He knew that although Ziva was mostly estranged from her father, he was still that, her father. And only that he was one of her only living relatives. Taking control of the situation Tony started to ask more relevant questions.

"When?"

"Earlier today" Vance kept his answers short and to the point.

"What happened?"

"He'd been sick for quite some time, you remember when he visited a few years back, he'd just gotten the diagnosis then."

"When's the funeral?"

"Later tomorrow, although the Jewish tradition is to bury their dead as quickly as possible they are waiting for the arrival of many people from around the world."

For the first time in the conversation Tony's words turned to statements rather than questions. "We'll need time off Director, we need to leave immediately to start to make arrangements to travel and …" he was cut off by Ziva squeezing his hand.

"No Tony, we do not need to go. It is not necessary."

Tony not having been in a similar situation was unsure of how to proceed. He didn't think that Ziva was making the right decision and even though there was no love between father and daughter it would be a decision she couldn't undo later on.

"Ziva, listen, I know you weren't close, but really he WAS your FATHER and maybe saying goodbye will help heal some old wounds. If nothing else you don't want to regret your decision not to go for the rest of your life."

"I will be attending the funeral tomorrow myself, I have arranged passage for us on a cargo plane headed for Tel Aviv" the director explained trying to break the rising tension in the room.

Unsure of where the clarity and thoughts were coming from Tony declined the offer of a lift as it would not be suitable for CJ and if they were going to go to Israel, they would go as a family. He led is still silent wife out of the office and down to the squad room. He sat her in his desk chair and started to make phone calls. Arranging flights and accommodations for his family while Ziva sat silently staring off into the distant horizon.

Tony didn't bother telling the other members of his team or anyone else for that matter. He figured Vance could spread the news just as effectively and right now he needed to get home, pack and collect his daughter.

Driving home he mentally continued to make plans. Dropping off his wife at their home so that she could begin packing he pulled out of the driveway to collect his daughter. He had chosen to simply arrive at Ainsley's house to pick her up as he thought the news of her grandfather passing might be better given face to face. Not that CJ was that close to the man but she had met him once and spent several hours talking and sharing stories. The bigger concern was that Tony was unsure how CJ would react as she had never known someone who had died.

A sleepy Mrs. Morris opened the door to find Tony impatiently waiting. The awkward exchange that followed did nothing to ease his tension and by the time his wayward daughter answered her phone he was livid.

"Where are you?" he asked again this time the tone and pitch of his voice rising to a level not heard in recent history.

The problem was CJ didn't know their exact location. They had pulled over somewhere along I-270 as they traveled south back to DC. Her dawdling was not well received and Tony's next "Where are you?" brought tears streaming down her face for the forcefulness of the request.

"I don't know exactly" was all she could whisper.

"YOU DON'T KNOW!" he had lost all control and was now screaming into his cell phone, even Mrs. Morris was wincing with every word.

While CJ sat dumbfounded on the phone 'the gang' mobilized into action. They began packing and gathering their belongings. Steven having heard Tony's request, as had all those present in the motel room, handed CJ the binder that had all local attractions listed as well as the motel address.

"Walkersville, Maryland" she finally squeaked out when she read where she was located.

He tried to picture her location on map, how far away was she.

The conversation continued to be one sided as Tony snapped orders and instructions to her and then to Avery as he was the one to drive back to DC.

Eight teenagers piled into a very quiet van and began their trek home.